Connecticut’s State Animal, The Sperm Whale

Did you know that the official animal of the State of Connecticut is the sperm whale? While you’re not going to find any sperm whales hanging around Connecticut now they use to be a major source of income for the state. In the 1800s whale oil was in high demand and Connecticut was the second largest producer behind Massachusetts. New London was Connecticut’s major whaling port, but other towns such as Bridgeport, Norwich, East Haddam, Stonington, and Hartford all at one time housed whaling ports.

Facts about the Sperm Whale

Range in size from 49-59 feet long

Largest brain of any creature known

Dive as deep as 3,280 feet

Hold their breath for up to 90 minutes

Eat about one ton of fish and squid a day

They are an endangered species

Swim at speeds of around 23 mph

Hunted for oil and ambergris, a substance once used in perfumes

Mortal enemies with giant squid

Designated the state animal in 1975

The Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaling ship in the world, resides at Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport is a living history museum that shows life in a 19th century coastal town

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